1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf practice device able to calculate and indicate a swing time substantially from a start of a backswing of a golf club to an impact of the head thereof with a golf ball.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, golf practice is carried out using a mat on which a golf ball can be set, and in connection with such a golf practice mat, golf practice devices have been proposed by which data of a swing of a golf club can be measured.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-125361 discloses a swing measuring device used when practicing a swing of a golf club. This device obtains measured data based on an output from a detecting means for detecting a state of a swing of a golf club, compares the measured data with stored predetermined reference data, and outputs corrective data based on the compared result, to enable an improvement of the swing. According to this publication, a plurality of magnetic sensors can be used as the detecting means, and it is possible to calculate the measured data, such as the speed of a head of a golf club during a swing from the output of the detecting means.
Conventional golf practice devices are mainly directed to measuring and improving the speed of the golf club head at the instant of an impact thereof with the golf ball. Also, it is possible to measure a swing orbit, a face angle at the instant of impact with the ball, a position of an impact, and so on, but it is very difficult to display the data numerically, and accordingly, usually these items are measured and the data displayed by a visual detecting means such as a video tape.
It is difficult for an average golfer to pay attentions to too many points during a swing. Also, problems sometimes arise in that the body of the golfer becomes stiff or moves out of position when the golfer swings a golf club while using a golf practice device, so that the swing is poor when using such a device. In particular, beginners have a problem with the backswing and top positions before tackling the problems of impact, and many golfers cannot actually use conventional golf practice devices which require the user to concentrate on the impact.